Brake-beam.



No.784,698. PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.-

- I J. F. OGONNOR.

BRAKE BEAM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1905.

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Q.%m @m&%.. gfln FOConncr 2 614 7 QiMM UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO RAIL- INAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-BEAM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,698, dated March 14, 1905.

Application filed January 18, 1905. Serial No. 241,626. I

To It whmn it 771.0,;1 cry/warn:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brake-Beams,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom- IO panying drawings, forming part of this specilication, in which Figure 1 is'a plan view of my improved brake-beam. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. I. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig.

1, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the plain beam member with the heads and lever-post omitted.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in brake-beams, the object being to reduce the weight and the cost of solid brake-beamsto wit, that type commercially known as Sterlingworth or Monarch brake-beams.

Heretofore brake-beams of the general type shown in the drawings have been used, wherein the beam member was I-shaped in crosssection or aeommereial brake-beam was used, and in both instances it has been found most desirable to employ a live-inch commerciallyrolled beam. These beams where they are of uniform cross-seeti on throughout their length are capable of use as inside or outside hung beams; but in some instances where they are to be applied on trucks with short wheel-bases the ends of the beam have been compressed to approximate the general dimensions of a fourinch beam. By so compressing the ends of a live-inch beam the web is correspondingly thickened at the point of compression, and the metal thus left in the web is practically of no use.

My present invention contemplates the utilization of afour-inch commercially-rolled deck or I beam whose web at the center is stretched so as to increase the depth of the beam at this point, giving to the section the proper theoretical shape and whose fiber stresses are practically uniform throughout the entire length of the beam. It is possible by this construction for the beam to have a greater central depth than the five-inch beam with compressed ends heretofore used, and the expanded beam will be proportionately lighter in weight. The weight of a live-inch beam exceeds that of the usual four-inch beam by about two pounds per linear foot, and consequently the cost is increased. An important advantage of the expanded beam is that it has substantially the same section modulus, and consequently the same strength, as the live-inch beam with the compressed ends. I urthermore, the expanded four-inch beam has the advantage of having uniform ends which are not disturbed by stretching the web at the center, while with the compressed-end five-inch beam the action of the bulldozer in upsetting the web necessarily produces a varying product due to the difference in temperature of the metal at the time it is being acted upon and other conditions.

My present invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the brake-heads, and 2 the lever-fulcrum, which parts may be of the usual or an improved pattern.

8 indicates the beam proper, whose back flange is preferably left straight, although it could be slightly tapered, if desired, while the ends where the brake-hezuls are received are preferably left undisturbed, just as the beam is formed in the rolling-mills. The front flange of the beam, however, is tapered, as indicated at 3, so as to give a suflicient central depth to the beam, depending upon the strength required.

In a companion application filed by me of even date herewith, Serial No. 1,625, 1. have described an apparatus for manufacturing my improved form of brake-beam. which briefly sets forth that the beams are first heated and then placed with its web between two stationary jaws, whose faces are crowned 0r arched, according to the camber desired to be given the front flange. The rear flange of the beam is caught by a moving die and the web at the center of the beam stretched so that its front flange takes the shape of the stationary jaws, and at the end of the webstretching movement a movable die engages the outer face of the front flange, so as to set the same in its camberod shape.

In addition to the Monarch and Sterlingworth beams with compressed ends herein referred to I am also aware that it has been proposed to form the main elements of body and truck bolsters by compressing the webs at the ends or gradually increasing the thickness of the webs, so that the marginal flanges would taper toward the ends of the beam; but I believe that I am the first to produce a brake-beam whose ends are uniform possessing the original cross-sectional area and fiber arrangement resulting from the action of the rolling-mills and whose central depth is obtained by stretching the web at the center of the beam, at the same time preserving its integrity. I am also aware that beams have been made with erimps in their webs at the ends of the beam, which result in a tapered structure; but it is obvious that the laterallydisplaced metal adds to the weight, but not to the strength of the beam. I am also aware that the webs of beams have been scored or cut longitudinally and a camber given to one or both flanges. Such a structure, however, requires the employment of a central strut, which is riveted to the respective separated portions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.1. The herein-described brake-beam, consisting of a commerciallyrolled member, whose ends possess the characteristics common to their origin, and whose web at the center is stretched in a transverse direction; substantially as described.

2. The herein-described brake-beam, consisting of a commercially-rolled beam having its ends and one flange preserved in their original form, the opposite flange being cambered or tapered from the center toward the ends and the integrity of whose web is preserved, said web being stretched transversely at the center of the beam; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of January, 1905.

JOHN F. OUON N OR. 

